It’s that time of the month again! .. No, no, that’s not what I meant… I meant it’s time once again for The Happy Sorceress’[1] monthly Blog Party ! This time around the theme was Tiki Party! Tiki Parties are one of my favourite genres of kitsch. I was attending college when the short-lived big band revival occurred and suddenly everything 50’s was vogue again. I quickly developed a serious and enduring love for retro music compilations boasting names like Ultra Lounge, Cocktail Hour, and (I kid you not) Colonel Sander’s Tijuana Picnic[2], often putting one on when coming home from work to unwind.

So what exactly is Tiki? Well it’s a little hard to define exactly. Let’s give Wikipedia a try…

Tiki culture in the United States began in 1934 with the opening of Don the Beachcomber, a Polynesian-themed bar and restaurant in Hollywood. The proprietor was Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt, a young man from Louisiana who had sailed throughout the South Pacific; later he legally changed his name to Donn Beach. His restaurant featured Cantonese cuisine and exotic rum punches, with a decor of flaming torches, rattan furniture, flower leis, and brightly colored fabrics. Three years later, Victor Bergeron, better known as Trader Vic, adopted a Tiki theme for his restaurant in Oakland, which eventually grew to become a worldwide chain.

But what about Tiki cuisine? Is there such a thing? Well that has become much looser defined as appetizers and cocktails featuring tropical flavours and design elements. I’ve seen Jamaican jerk wings on tiki menus as wells as chicken wontons!

I decided to go with a Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce that had everyone in my home smacking their lips, and to wash it all down I prepared ‘raw’ Frozen Virgin Banana Daiquiris (recipe coming soon)… oo la la!

Chicken satay is a dish that is very popular in Malaysia and Indonesia and one that I had never tried before. Skewers have always intimidated me with their pointy tips. I put out an SOS on Twitter[4] and Facebook[5] asking for suggestions on where to purchase bamboo ones in Trinidad and, thanks to the wonders of that technology, within minutes had several to pick from. (For the record, I grabbed a pack of 100 from D Rite Stuff[6]).

This Chicken satay (also spelled Sate) recipe was the first recipe I’ve prepared from Ellie Krieger[7]. For those of you not familiar with her, she hosts ‘Healthy Appetite’ on the Food Network[8]. To be quite honest I’ve hardly seen her show. It comes on at the oddest hours over the weekend. It’s quite unfortunate cos I find her quite engaging, and after making this recipe I’m intrigued enough to explore her highly rated recipe archives[9] even more!